A Promise Is A Promise
by sayjay1995
Summary: Remember the promise that was made when Aang got Katara's necklace back? Well, Katara hasn't forgotten. My first Zutara fluff!


**A/N: Hello hello Avatar fans! This is my first dip into Avatar fanfiction, so I'm pretty excited! Ever since I saw previews for the new movie, I've been re-watching the series. I forgot how epic it is! Now, I know there has been some talk of fandom overload when it comes to Zuko and Katara. Maybe that's slightly true. But I still love the idea of them together! So please read, and let me know how I'm doing! Speaking will be like this "I'm speaking," and thinking will be like this **_**'I'm thinking,'**_**. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, sadly. This fanfiction is based off of the episode (from season 1, towards the end I think), when Aang get's Katara's necklace back from Zuko. Certain things were said, and our favorite water bender hasn't forgotten. Enjoy :D **

**A Promise Is A Promise**

"Look! Let's stop down there!" Aang pointed from atop Appa's head. Katara, Sokka, Zuko, and Toph peered over the saddle at the said spot. The sun was shining beautifully, casting shimmers of light to dance across the nearby river's surface.

Surrounding trees cast cooling shadows, begging to be enjoyed. Every aspect of the environment screamed perfection, and that was the very reason why Aang wanted to land.

"I don't know Aang. Every time the 'perfect day' comes, we let our guard down and nearly get killed," Sokka pointed out.

"That's why we have to hurry- then we can have more time to relax!" Aang argued.

"Well, we have been flying for nearly a day. What harm could it do?" Katara uttered.

"I'm with Sugar Queen. I miss land!" Toph sighed, her unseeing eyes staring downwards wistfully.

"Then it's settled!" Aang cheered as he directed Appa to descend.

"What? Nothing was settled! We should keep flying, right Zuko?" Sokka whined.

"Hn?" Zuko yawned; he looked extremely bored.

"Land ho!" Aang shouted gleefully. The group jumped off of Appa's back and he let out a loud groan before collapsing. Momo squawked and took off to the sky, searching for bugs. Sokka stripped down to his underwear and jumped into the river, content to float on his back despite thinking they should still fly.

Toph took refuge under a tree, basking in the shade. Aang ran off into the woods for a bit of exploring. Katara was going to join Sokka in the river when she noticed Zuko edging away, trying to walk unnoticed.

"Hey, Zuko, wait up!" Katara chased after the banished fire prince.

'_I just remembered something!' _she thought, a somewhat devious smile tugging at her lips. Katara caught up to Zuko and slowed her pace to match his.

"I was going to take a walk…by _myself_," Zuko put some emphasis on the last part, hoping Katara would take the hint.

"Yeah, but isn't it more fun to walk with a friend?" Katara cocked her head and grinned at the annoyed look on her companion's face. Zuko had no reply, but rather turned to face the direction he was walking. Katara waited quietly until the others were out of sight. This wasn't something she wanted Sokka or Aang to see, ever.

"You're unusually quiet today," Zuko mused, his dark honey eyes briefly glancing in the water bender's direction.

"W-What? Me, quiet? H-Ha, of course not!" Katara prayed her slightly red cheeks weren't noticeable. Zuko raised an eyebrow; something was up with the girl.

"You're acting strange," he commented, smirking ever so slightly when Katara rolled her eyes. He loved making her do that. He also loved the idea that she had followed him, and that she was alone with him, and… Zuko blinked a few times and felt his palms grow sweaty.

His thoughts were taking form into something he tried so very hard not to think about. Like the way her smile seemed to light up a room, or how she always seemed to make him want to laugh, or- ugh! Those thoughts weren't helping!

Zuko's inner turmoil went unnoticed by Katara, who was working up the courage to do what needed to be done. She figured they were a safe distance from the others.

"H-Hey, Zuko…" Katara's voice faltered. She cleared her throat and automatically stroked her necklace, a habit she did when nervous. Zuko knew this habit well, and it confused him. He stopped walking and waited for the girl to continue, the curiosity in him growing with each passing second. He also felt suspicious, but then again, he always felt distrustful.

"Back when we were still enemies, remember how you had my necklace? And Aang snatched it back for me?" Katara couldn't bring herself to meet Zuko's stare.

"Yeah. What about it?" he asked, dreading what the water bender might say. His past wasn't something he liked to talk about, especially not with Katara. He wanted to prove to her that he had changed, that he wasn't that cold blooded brute anymore. He wasn't, right?

"Well, after we escaped, there was…a conversation…" again Katara's voice failed her.

"You can tell me. I probably deserve whatever it is you're trying to say," Zuko muttered darkly. He should have known; Katara wanted to remind him about what an awful person he had been, trying to capture the world's only hope for peace.

Zuko meant what he had said, too. He firmly believed he deserved every hateful word she could dish out. Katara looked at the fire bender with sad cerulean eyes_. _

'_He's still beating himself up for what he did,' _she thought. Gaining a little more courage from his words, Katara continued.

"Yes, you do deserve this," she agreed. Zuko cringed inwardly. That was a blow, not only to his pride and honor, but to his heart.

"Aang made a joke about getting the necklace back, saying that Prince Zuko told him to make sure I got it. I laughed and told Aang that was very sweet of Prince Zuko, and in return to make sure he got something from me. He swore he would. I doubt Aang remembers making that promise, and even if he did I would never expect him to actually do it," Katara explained, her fingers glued to the soft surface of her mother's necklace.

"You don't need to give me anything. I don't want it or deserve it," Zuko insisted, his voice turning into a monotone. He wanted nothing more then to run off and find a nice, dark, corner to curl up in.

"No, trust me Zuko, you do deserve this," Katara said seriously. Was she trying to punch a hole through his chest? If so, it was working wonders. Katara took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She leaned forward and pressed her smooth lips against Zuko's unscarred cheek.

Zuko froze with surprise. His heart pounded like it was trying to detach itself from his chest, and his breath was caught in his throat. It was hard to say who's face was redder. Katara felt his flaring cheeks and pulled away, a timid smile on her face.

"Didn't I say you deserved it?" she whispered. Zuko didn't know what to say, or do. His body wouldn't move, his lungs refused to take a breath of air. But he needed to do something! Katara turned to leave, and she asked herself what she had done. She had worked so hard to befriend Zuko (after getting over the idea that he was a lying, backstabbing traitor) only to throw it all away.

'_Of course he doesn't want a kiss from me; what was I expecting? Him dropping the angsty-tough-boy façade and sweep me off my feet, carrying me off into a happily ever after?_' Katara let out a small sigh. Her heart had a new crack in it and she just destroyed a valuable friendship, but she didn't regret kissing Zuko. It had made her own heart swell with happiness, and being so close to him had taken her breath away.

"Katara…" Zuko finally managed to choke out. The said girl stopped walking. She glanced over her shoulder nervously, afraid of the fire prince's reaction.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to give you something as well," he smiled a small smile, a rare feat coming from someone like him. Katara turned around, her eyes alight with excitement.

Ever so slowly Zuko closed the distance between them, a look of pure concentration on his face. He leaned forward, the way Katara had before, only instead of aiming for her cheek he kissed her head on. Toph probably would have said he'd make a good earth bender.

They pulled apart and then kissed again. It was sweet, seeing as neither of them had had much practice in the past. When they were finally done, Katara intertwined her fingers with his and pulled Zuko back towards camp.

"I'm glad you're the type who keeps their promises," Zuko said, a content sigh escaping his lips.

"Well, a promise is a promise. Just be happy I didn't make Aang follow through with it," Katara teased lightly. Zuko's face dropped.

"That's a scary thought!" he shuddered with a grimace.

"There's another one," Katara said sarcastically as Sokka came into view.

"And another," Zuko added as Aang came running out of the woods, shouting about something he had found.

"We're going to have to tell them eventually," Katara reminded.

"_I_ don't take orders from peasants," Zuko stated in a teasing manner.

"You know, maybe I'll remind Aang of that promise after all," Katara ran ahead, leaving Zuko to chase after her.

"Katara! I was only kidding!" he shouted. The only response was Katara's laughter floating back at him.

Despite the problems they were sure to face, Zuko was happy to chase after his little water bending peasant and remind her just how good of a kisser he was.

**A/N: There you have it folks, my first Avatar and first Zutara fic! I think it turned out fairly well, although the ending seemed a little…eh. Anyone who reads my fanfictions knows I'm a sucker for fluff though, so hopefully I pulled that off well! Please give me a review and remember to check back soon, because I have another Zutara idea already planned!**


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